Rust Ban Evasion Guide: What Facepunch Tracks
What Facepunch and EAC track after a ban: Steam account, registry traces, hardware ID and IP. How to clear each one before you play again.
What Are They Tracking? Ban Evasion Guide for Rust
In games like Rust with Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC), systems track multiple identifiers to detect and prevent ban evasion. Understanding these helps you stay ahead. There are 4 key things to focus on:
- Steam Account
- Registry and Traces
- HWID (Hardware ID)
- IP Address
Steam Account
When buying a new account, avoid suspicious ones. Here's what to watch for:
- Do not purchase accounts with 2k+ botted hours, as this raises red flags.
- Avoid similar usernames or profile pictures to your old account.
- A fresh account with 0 hours won't look legitimate if you're hitting triple headshots right away.
- If buying an account with hours, ensure they are real, so check Rust server playtime on BattleMetrics.
- Best option: Buy a legitimate account with 100+ real hours in your region.
Registry and Traces
Games like Rust, Steam, and EAC leave registry files and hidden traces on your system. Clearing them properly is essential for a clean slate.
Methods vary, but one reliable and thorough approach is using Revo Uninstaller (free version works well).
- It scans and deletes registry entries plus leftover files for Rust, Steam, and EAC.
- EAC installs to your main Program Files folder, so target that during uninstall/scan.
- This method is overkill but guarantees removal of traces.
If you have a lighter method that works for you, use that instead.
HWID (Hardware ID) Spoofers
Easy Anti-Cheat logs hardware identifiers (HWID) every time you launch an EAC-protected game like Rust. Multiple bans on the same HWID can trigger a full hardware ban, and new accounts get banned quickly (often in 2–4 hours).
A HWID spoofer helps by:
- Masking or altering hardware serial numbers reported to the anti-cheat.
- Preventing links back to your banned HWID, making the system think it's a different machine.
Without spoofing, new accounts on the same PC won't bypass a hardware-level ban. We don't sell a standalone spoofer at the moment; Spectre for Black Ops 7 is the one product of ours that includes one.
IP Address
While EAC itself doesn't log your IP, Rust servers do. Servers track IPs to catch and ban cheaters, and this is a primary method for detection.
To change your IP, you have two main options:
Option 1: Use a Reliable Residential VPN (Recommended)
This works 100% of the time with a good provider. Top recommendations:
- Mysterium Dark. Decentralized, but public nodes mean you might share an IP previously used by others that can lead to ban evasion bans that were not caused by you.
- StarVPN. Get their business residential plan for the best clean, dedicated residential IPs.
Option 2: Change Your Router's MAC Address
This forces your ISP to assign a new public IP (works on many dynamic IP setups). It's 100% foolproof when it applies, but not everyone can do it (depends on router and ISP).
Follow this proven guide: How To Change Your Public IP Address No Matter What!!
Steps typically involve:
- Log into your router (usually 192.168.1.1 or similar).
- Find MAC Clone / WAN MAC Address settings.
- Clone your PC's MAC or enter a new one.
- Apply, reboot router/modem, and check your new IP (use IPChicken to verify).
Quick Video Reference
Watch this TikTok for more visual context on ban evasion basics:
Frequently asked questions
What does Rust track for ban evasion?
Four things: your Steam account, registry entries and traces left by Rust, Steam and EAC, your hardware ID, and your IP address, which Rust servers log even though EAC doesn't.
What should I avoid when buying a Rust account?
Accounts with 2,000+ botted hours, and anything with a username or profile picture similar to your old one. Verify that playtime is real on BattleMetrics before you buy.
How many hours should a replacement Rust account have?
Around 100+ real hours in your region is the sweet spot. A 0 hour account isn't believable if you're hitting triple headshots straight away.
Does Rust ban by IP?
EAC doesn't log your IP, but Rust servers do, and it's a primary way they catch and ban cheaters. A reliable residential VPN is the recommended fix.
Will a new Steam account work without a spoofer?
No. Multiple bans on the same hardware can trigger a full hardware ban, and new accounts on that machine tend to get banned within 2 to 4 hours.
How do I clear Rust, Steam and EAC traces?
Revo Uninstaller (free version) scans and deletes registry entries plus leftover files. EAC installs into your main Program Files folder, so target that during the scan.
Do you sell Rust accounts?
Yes, Rust NFA accounts by hours-played tier, from 0-100 hours up to 5,000+. See the NFA vs FA accounts guide for how they work and why you claim at purchase.
Can you get banned just for buying a Rust account?
Buying and playing on another account isn't something EAC detects by itself. What gets flagged is the pattern around it: same hardware ID, same traces, same IP as the banned setup. Handle those four things and the new account stands on its own.